


Little Shadow, Tiny Sun

by lucidscreamer



Series: 100 Yu-Gi-Oh Prompts [9]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Abandoned Child, Adoption, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Archaeologist Solomon Mutou, Baby Yugi, Child Atem, Families of Choice, Family, Family Fluff, First Meetings, Gen, Little Brothers, Protective Older Brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2020-01-04 21:35:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18352166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucidscreamer/pseuds/lucidscreamer
Summary: "Yugi is almost six months old, Yami. He and his mother are going to be staying with us for a little while. Since you're the older boy, I want you to look after him, all right? Like a big brother. Can you do that for me?"





	Little Shadow, Tiny Sun

**Author's Note:**

> started: NaNo, 2009  
> finished: 4/3/2019
> 
> prompt: 58. When we were young
> 
> Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. No ownership of the canon characters, settings, or events is claimed and none should be implied.
> 
> Notes: Victorian AU
> 
> In this AU, while his real name is Atem everyone calls him "Yami" as a nickname. In fact, I can't recall if anyone knew his real name at this point in the narrative... There's a complicated backstory that doesn't show up in this snippet. Hopefully it makes enough sense to be an enjoyable read despite the flaws.

The first time Yami had ever seen Yugi Mutou, Yami was five or six years old. He could not be sure of his exact age, as he had no memories of his parents or home before being taken in by Father, only knowing that he had been about four or five and living on the streets of Cairo for as long as he could remember before that act of kindness by Solomon Mutou toward the filthy child who had tried to pick his pocket. Yami had lived in the Mutou household for six months and was only just growing accustomed to having a roof over his head every night and a steady schedule of meals. When Father returned from a visit to the train station on the east side of the river with a young woman and a small child in tow, a surge of panic spiked its way through Yami's young heart. Had Father gone to fetch his wife and little boy? Was this child, sleeping so peacefully in his mother's arms, Yami's replacement? Setting aside the scrap of paper on which he had been diligently practicing the English alphabet which Father had copied out for him, Yami scowled up at the new faces, his angry expression hiding the fear making his heart thud painfully in his chest.

"Yami," Father called to him. "Come here. There is someone I would like for you to meet."

Reluctance written in every line of his thin body, Yami put his paper neatly to one side, got to his feet, and shuffled slowly over to where Father stood waiting for him with the woman and the little boy. Yami's frown drew his brows together and mashed his lips together in an unhappy line. He stood in front of the adults and looked up at them with badly concealed worry.

Instantly, Father knelt down to Yami's level, resting one strong hand on Yami's narrow shoulder. "What's wrong, Little Shadow?"

Yami's eyes darted unwillingly to the newcomers, then back to his guardian's face. In a hushed small voice, he asked, "Who're they?"

Father smiled a soft smile and patted Yami's shoulder in a comforting way that almost loosened some of the tight bands squeezing Yami's chest. "This is my daughter-in-law and my grandson," Father told him. He motioned the woman over. "Cassia, come and meet my Little Shadow."

Smiling, the woman came over to them, bending a bit so that she could meet Yami's gaze. "Hello, dear. So, you're the Yami I've heard so many good things about! It is a pleasure to meet you at last."

Yami's face scrunched up in confusion. His gaze darted back to his guardian. "How'd she know who I am?" he whispered.

Father chuckled. "I'm afraid I'm quite incapable of not bragging about my favorite little helper, Yami. I've told Mrs. Mutou all about you."

Yami's eyes widened and his mouth formed a surprised 'o'. He blinked up at the woman. "Really?"

"Oh, yes," she said, still smiling, though the expression had somehow… softened… as she looked at him. "Your father is really quite proud of you, Yami."

Yami's gaze darted back to Father's face. Yami had not expected to hear that. He was still not used to hearing anything but shouts and abuse hurled at him on the streets. As if reading the confusion rattling around inside Yami's head, Father gathered Yami into a warm embrace. Yami wrapped his thin arms around his guardian's neck and squeezed as hard as he could, trying to convey just how happy those words made him. Father squeezed back, making Yami feel all warm and safe and happy inside.

When Father finally released him from the hug, it was to scoop Yami up into his arms so that he was on a level with the boy the woman was cradling. Feeling a bit more secure in his place as Father's "Shadow", Yami pointed at the sleeping boy, his curiousity returning. "Who's that?"

"Ah, this is my grandson. His name is Yugi," Father said. He freed one hand so that he could reach over and pull the blanket away from the sleeping face. The boy had thick tufts of red hair standing up all over his scalp, and a face rounded with baby fat. His pink bow of a mouth was pursed in sleep. His eyes were closed, so Yami could not see what color they were, but he wondered if they would be blue like Grandfather's or green like the woman's. "Yugi is almost six months old, Yami. He and his mother are going to be staying with us for a little while. Since you're the older boy, I want you to look after him, all right? Like a big brother. Can you do that for me?"

Yami nodded firmly. "Of course, Father."

He peered at the sleeping boy -- Yugi. Just at the moment that Yami had leaned over to get a better look at the boy's face, Yugi blinked open his eyes. They were blue, so blue they almost seemed the same color as the irises in the flower beds in the courtyard. Those blue eyes gazed up at Yami with a mixture of sleepy wonder and curiosity, and Yugi smiled a smile that lit up his entire face. In that moment, Yami vowed that he would be the best big brother _ever_.

Tentatively, feeling his heart race all over again, though this time not with fear, Yami grinned back at the smiling baby.

　


End file.
